Butte County
County
Named forThe nearby Sutter Buttes
CountryUnited States
StateCalifornia
RegionShasta Cascade & Sacramento Valley
County seatOroville
Largest cityChico
Unit prefUS
Area total1677 sq mi
Area land1636 sq mi
Area water41 sq mi
Elevation max7124 ft
Chair[1]Bill Connelly
Vice Chair[2]Tami Ritter
Chief Administrative OfficerAndy Pickett
Population as of2020
Population total211632
Pop est as of2025
Population est209211
IncorporatedFebruary 18, 1850[3]
Total$11.077 billion (2022)
Time zonePacific Time Zone (UTC−8)
Time zone (DST)Pacific Daylight Time (UTC−7)
Area code530
FIPS code06-007
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.buttecounty.net

Butte County (/bjuːt/) is a county located in the northern central part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632.[4][5] The county seat is Oroville.[6]

Butte County comprises the Chico, California, metropolitan statistical area. It is in the California Central Valley, north of the state capital of Sacramento.

Butte County is drained by the Feather River and the Sacramento River. Butte Creek and Big Chico Creek are additional perennial streams, both tributary to the Sacramento. The county is home to California State University, Chico and Butte College.

History

Butte County is named for the visually striking +2,000-foot (610-metre) Sutter Buttes in neighboring Sutter County.[7] Butte County was incorporated as one of California's 27 original counties on February 18, 1850. The county went across the present limits of the Tehama, Plumas, Colusa, and Sutter Counties.[8] Suffragists from Butte County including Minnie Sharkey Abrams played a notable role in the women's suffrage campaign in 1911.

Between November 8 and 25, 2018, a major wildfire, the Camp Fire, destroyed most of the town of Paradise, the adjacent community of Concow, and a large area of rural, hilly country east of Chico. More than 80 people were killed, 50,000 were displaced, over 150,000 acres were burned, and nearly 20,000 buildings were destroyed.[9][10] The Camp Fire was California's most destructive and deadliest fire.[11]

On July 24, 2024, the Park Fire ignited in Bidwell Park, four miles south of downtown Chico. Ronnie Dean Stout II, a Chico resident, has been accused of arson for starting the fire by allegedly pushing a car that was on fire down an embankment.[12][13] Over the course of the next 64 days, the fire expanded into Tehama County, burned 429,603 acres, killed one person, and destroyed 709 structures.[14] It became the largest wildfire caused by arson in the state's history, the fourth largest fire in the state's history, the largest fire of the 2024 California wildfire season, and the second largest single fire in the state's history (as opposed to a complex fire, with multiple ignition points).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,677 square miles (4,340 km2), of which 41 square miles (110 km2) (2.4%) are covered by water.[4]

The county is drained by the Feather River and Butte Creek. Part of the county's western border is formed by the Sacramento River. The county lies along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the steep slopes making it prime territory for the siting of hydroelectric power plants. About a half dozen of these plants are located in the county, one of which, serves the Oroville Dam.

National protected areas

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Butte County had a population of 211,632. The median age was 37.9 years, 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18, and 19.0% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.3 males age 18 and over.[15]

79.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 21.0% lived in rural areas.[16]

There were 83,268 households in the county, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 28.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]

The county's population was 70.7% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 2.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 5.0% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 8.6% from some other race, and 11.7% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 19.0% of the population.[17]

There were 90,133 housing units, of which 7.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 56.2% were owner-occupied and 43.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%.[15]

Racial and ethnic composition

Butte County, California – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980[18]Pop 1990[19]Pop 2000[20]Pop 2010[21]Pop 2020[22]% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)130,522158,242162,564165,416style='background: #ffffe6; |139,65190.73%86.89%80.01%75.19%style='background: #ffffe6; |65.99%
Black or African American alone (NH)1,6862,2382,6993,133style='background: #ffffe6; |3,3201.17%1.23%1.33%1.42%style='background: #ffffe6; |1.57%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2,0622,9463,2953,395style='background: #ffffe6; |3,0501.43%1.62%1.62%1.54%style='background: #ffffe6; |1.44%
Asian alone (NH)1,2874,9616,6768,921style='background: #ffffe6; |10,3330.89%2.72%3.29%4.06%style='background: #ffffe6; |4.88%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)xx273401style='background: #ffffe6; |508xx0.13%0.18%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%
Other race alone (NH)752127435318style='background: #ffffe6; |1,1840.52%0.07%0.21%0.14%style='background: #ffffe6; |0.56%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)xx5,8907,300style='background: #ffffe6; |13,474xx2.90%3.32%style='background: #ffffe6; |6.37%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)7,54213,60621,33931,116style='background: #ffffe6; |40,1125.24%7.47%10.50%14.14%style='background: #ffffe6; |18.95%
Total143,851182,120203,171220,000style='background: #ffffe6; |211,632 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2010 Census

The 2010 United States census reported that Butte County had a population of 220,000. The racial makeup of Butte County was 180,096 (81.9%) White, 3,415 (1.6%) African American, 4,395 (2.0%) Native American, 9,057 (4.1%) Asian, 452 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 12,141 (5.5%) from other races, and 10,444 (4.7%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 31,116 persons (14.1%).[23]

Population reported at 2010 United States census
The County
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Butte County220,000180,0963,4154,3959,05745212,14110,44431,116
Incorporated
cities and towns
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Biggs1,7071,30211549125278580
Chico86,18769,6061,7711,1673,6562105,4374,34015,000
Gridley6,5844,283559824931,5523443,000
Oroville15,54611,6864535731,238565549861,945
Paradise26,21824,129112301330244169061,836
Census-designated
places
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
Bangor64654351741185847
Berry Creek1,4241,249848133139098
Butte Creek Canyon1,0861,01102018182848
Butte Meadows40380000020
Butte Valley89978201991424689
Cherokee694802800111
Clipper Mills1421310300265
Cohasset84776481421203843
Concow71061102453105756
Durham5,5185,0881955359165147614
Forbestown32026241510042523
Forest Ranch1,1841,1168641202952
Honcut370248614408513145
Kelly Ridge2,5442,28720563574396204
Magalia11,31010,398401419017134490765
Nord320233161604816122
Oroville East8,2806,8301264772948147398702
Palermo5,3823,9013922124646423291,281
Rackerby20419301003718
Richvale2442160110010727
Robinson Mill807401010411
South Oroville5,7423,4074062458859361429851
Stirling City2952641110011817
Thermalito6,6464,594612571,10237270325713
Yankee Hill 333305274051022
Other
unincorporated areas
Total
Population
White
African
American
Native
American
Asian
Pacific
Islander
other
races
two or
more races
Hispanic
or Latino
(of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined)29,12324,497259531791551,8791,1114,486

2000

As of the census[24] of 2000, there were 203,171 people, 79,566 households, and 49,410 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 /mi2. There were 85,523 housing units at an average density of 52 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 84.5% White, 10.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino, 3.3% Asian, 1.9% Native American, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 4.8% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. 87.9% spoke English, 7.8% Spanish and 1.4% Hmong as their first language.

There were 79,566 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 13.6% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,924, and the median income for a family was $41,010. Males had a median income of $34,137 versus $25,393 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,517. About 12.2% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Health and crime

There are four major hospitals and the State of California defines Butte County as being inside Health Service Area 1. A special district, the Butte County Air Quality Management District, regulates airborne pollutant emissions in the county. It does this following regional regulations, state, and federal laws. For example, in recent years, the agency changed rules that once allowed residents to burn household trash outdoors.

The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.

Population and crime rates
Population[25]220,000
Violent crime[26]9704.25
  Homicide[26]200.05
  Forcible rape[26]1000.40
  Robbery[26]2000.85
  Aggravated assault[26]6502.95
Property crime[26]5,52416.32
  Burglary[26]1,7337.90
  Larceny-theft[26][note 1]3,76517.17
  Motor vehicle theft[26]8403.83
Arson[26]810.37

Cities by population and crime rates

Cities by population and crime rates
CityPopulation[27]Violent crimes[27]Violent crime rate
per 1,000 persons		Property crimes[27]Property crime rate
per 1,000 persons
Biggs1,7072411.023019.72
Chico90,0003173.243,63426.31
Gridley6,60011311.7219633.06
Oroville16,0001086.811,14363.09
Paradise26,492522.4952118.08

Government

Law enforcement

Butte County, California
AgencynameButte County Sheriff's Office
AbbreviationBCSO
PatchPatch of the Butte County Sheriff's Department.jpg
HeadquartersOroville, California
ElecteetypeSheriff
Minister1nameKory Honea
LockuptypeJail
Lockups1
WebsiteOfficial website

The Butte County Sheriff's Office provides general-service law enforcement to unincorporated areas of Butte County, serving as the equivalent of the county police for unincorporated areas of the county as well as incorporated cities within the county who have contracted with the agency for law-enforcement services (known as "contract cities" in local jargon). It also holds primary jurisdiction over facilities operated by Butte County, such as local parks, marinas and government buildings; provides marshal service for the Butte County Superior Court; operates the county jail system; and provides services such as laboratories and academy training to smaller law enforcement agencies within the county. The first sheriff of Butte County was Joseph Q. Wilbur. Kory Honea has been the sheriff since 2014.[28]

Voter registration statistics

Population and registered voters
Total eligible population[29]164,755
  Registered voters[29][note 2]123,93575.2%
    Democratic[29]43,40726.3%
    Republican[29]44,36226.9%
    Democratic–Republican spread[29]-955-0.6%
    American Independent[29]5,9203.5%
    Libertarian[29]2,0371.2%
    Green[29]7590.4%
    Peace and Freedom[29]6330.3%
    Unknown[29]8960.5%
    Other[29]1,0510.6%
    No party preference[29]24,87015.0%

Cities by population and voter registration

Cities by population and voter registration
CityPopulation[25]Registered voters[30]
[note 2]		Democratic[30]Republican[30]D–R spread[30]Other[30]No party preference[30]
Biggs1,92738.7%36.7%37.9%-1.2%8.8%19.8%
Chico85,60555.0%40.1%30.3%+9.8%9.8%22.7%
Gridley6,50940.6%37.6%34.8%+2.8%9.7%21.3%
Oroville15,44540.8%32.1%36.2%-4.1%11.7%24.2%
Paradise26,34862.1%31.1%40.8%-9.7%11.5%20.5%

Local

The citizens of the county of Butte are represented by the five member Butte County Board of Supervisors.

Tribal

The Berry Creek Rancheria of Tyme Maidu Indians of California is headquartered in Oroville. The Berry Creek Rancheria operates Gold Country Casino.

The Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians of California is also headquartered in Oroville. The Mooretown Rancheria operates Feather Falls Casino.

The governmental headquarters of the Mechoopda Indian Tribe of Chico Rancheria is located in Chico.

State

Butte County is in .[31] The county is in .[32]

According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Butte County has 172,054 registered voters. Of those, 42,093 (34.4%) are registered Democrats, 41,330 (33.8%) are registered Republicans and 30,377 (24.8%) have declined to state a political party.[33]

On November 4, 2008, Butte County voted 56.7% for Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.[34]

Federal

Butte County is in .[35]

Butte is a bellwether county in presidential elections, and one of only thirteen to have voted for Barack Obama in 2008, Mitt Romney in 2012, Donald Trump in 2016, and Joe Biden in 2020.[a]

Education

Public schools

There are roughly 90 public schools in the county according to the National Center for Educational Statistics.[36]

The following school districts cover portions of the county:

K-12:[37]

Secondary:[37]

Elementary:[37]

Colleges and universities

Public libraries

Butte County Library provides library services to residents of the County through six branches in Biggs, Chico, Durham, Gridley, Oroville and Paradise. The mission of the Butte County Library is to provide all individuals, regardless of age, ethnic background, educational or economic level, with free access to ideas, information, and technology.

For many years, the library served rural and mountain communities through regularly scheduled bookmobile visits; however, due to budget cuts, this service was discontinued in 2009 and the bookmobile was sold. The library serves low-literacy adults through several programs of the Butte County Library Literacy Services division, including the Adult Reading Program, Families for Literacy and the Literacy Coach, a 36-foot (11-metre) vehicle that provides mobile programming like story times, parent meetings, workshops, and computer and teacher trainings.

The library operates as a department of the County of Butte, governed by the Butte County Board of Supervisors.

Transportation

Major highways

Public transportation

Butte Regional Transit or the B-Line, provides service in and between Chico, Oroville, Paradise, Gridley and Biggs. Chico is also a connection point for Glenn Ride buses to Glenn County and Plumas Transit Systems buses to Plumas County.

Greyhound and FlixBus buses stop in Chico.

Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Los Angeles-Seattle) passenger train makes a stop daily in each direction in Chico's Chico station.

Airports

General Aviation airports in Butte County include:

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Former townships

In August 1851, the county was divided into six judicial (civil) townships, the four marked by asterisks below, plus Quartz and Mineral, which were separated from Butte County with the formation of Plumas County in 1854.

Between 1851 and 1861, there were several additions and other realignments of the township boundaries; from 1861, the townships were:

  • Bidwell
  • Chico
  • Concow
  • Hamilton*
  • Kimshew
  • Mountain Spring
  • Ophir*
  • Oregon*
  • Oro*
  • Wyandotte

Townships created and dissolved between 1851 and 1861 were Benton, Eureka, and Cascade.[38]

Ghost towns

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Butte County.[40]

† county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Municipal typePopulation (2020 Census)
1ChicoCity101,475
2† OrovilleCity20,042
3Oroville EastCDP8,038
4MagaliaCDP7,795
5GridleyCity7,421
6ThermalitoCDP7,198
7DurhamCDP5,834
8PalermoCDP5,555
9ParadiseTown4,764
10South OrovilleCDP3,235
11Kelly RidgeCDP3,006
12BiggsCity1,964
13Berry CreekCDP1,637
14Forest RanchCDP1,304
15Butte ValleyCDP945
16CohassetCDP830
17Butte Creek CanyonCDP780
18BangorCDP695
19ConcowCDP402
20ForbestownCDP396
21HoncutCDP306
22NordCDP286
23Stirling CityCDP284
24Yankee HillCDP260
25RichvaleCDP234
26RackerbyCDP210
27Clipper MillsCDP160
28Berry Creek RancheriaAIAN136
29Robinson MillCDP89
30CherokeeCDP88
31Butte MeadowsCDP74
32Enterprise RancheriaAIAN4

Several movies have been filmed in Butte County, including Gone with the Wind,[41] The Outlaw Josey Wales,[42] Friendly Persuasion,[43] Magic Town,[44] The Klansman,[43] Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy,[43] The Adventures of Robin Hood,[43] and Under Wraps.[43] A 2013 episode of the television series Sons of Anarchy involves the sons coming into contact with corrupt police in the fictional town of Eden, located in Butte County.[45]

See also

Notes

Notes
  1. ^ The other twelve are Teton County, Idaho; Kendall County, Illinois; Kent County, Maryland; McLean County, Illinois; Tippecanoe County, Indiana; Kent County, Michigan; Leelanau County, Michigan; Carroll County, New Hampshire; Rockingham County, New Hampshire; Marion County, Oregon; Grand County, Utah; and Albany County, Wyoming.
References
  1. ^ Only larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes.
  2. ^ Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.

References

  1. ^ https://www.buttecounty.net/1413/District-1---Bill-Connelly
  2. ^ https://www.buttecounty.net/1415/District-3---Tami-Ritter
  3. ^ Statistical Report of the California State Board of Agriculture for the Year 1918. Sacramento, CA: California State Printing Office. 1919. p. 316. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  4. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
  5. ^ "Butte County, California". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  6. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  7. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. United States Geological Survey. p. 62. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  8. ^ George C. Mansfield, History of Butte County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Hathitrust.org, 1918
  9. ^ "Death toll jumps to 23 as 'challenging' Camp Fire pushes toward Lake Oroville". The Sacramento Bee. November 10, 2018. Archived November 11, 2018 at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ^ "California wildfires: Death toll rises to 25". BBC. November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  11. ^ Gina Martinez (November 14, 2018). "The California Fire That Killed 48 People Is the Deadliest U.S. Wildfire in a Century". Time. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  12. ^ DeBenedetti, Katie & Stark, Kevin (2024-07-30). "Northern California Man, Accused of Starting Massive Park Fire, Charged With Arson". KQED. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
  13. ^ Ortiz, John Bacon, David Benda and Jorge L. "Arson suspect claims massive California blaze was an accident". USA Today. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
  14. ^ "Park Fire". CAL FIRE. Retrieved 2025-07-07.
  15. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  16. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  17. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2025.
  18. ^ "California: 1980, General Social and Economic Characteristics, Part 1". United States Census Bureau
  19. ^ "California: 1990, Part 1". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  20. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Butte County, California". United States Census Bureau
  21. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Butte County, California". United States Census Bureau
  22. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Butte County, California". United States Census Bureau
  23. ^
  24. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  25. ^ U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. U.S. Census website . Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  26. ^ Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009 Archived December 2, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  27. ^ United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California) Archived June 28, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  28. ^ "History". Butte County. Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  29. ^ "Statement of Vote, November 8, 2022, General Election". California Secretary of State. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  30. ^ California Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 – Report of Registration Archived November 3, 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  31. ^ "Members Assembly". Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  32. ^ "Senators". State of California. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  33. ^ CA Secretary of State – Report of Registration – February 10, 2019
  34. ^ "Supplement to the Statement of Vote: Statewide Summary by County for State Ballot Measures".
  35. ^ Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  36. ^ National Center for Education Statistics. "Public Schools in Butte County, California". NCES Common Core of Data. Retrieved 2026-05-12.
  37. ^ Geography Division. 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Butte County, CA. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2025-05-30. - Text list
  38. ^ Wells, Frank T. Gilbert, W. L. Chambers, Harry Laurenz; Gilbert, Frank T.; Chambers, W. L. (1882). History of Butte County, California.. H.L. Wells. pp. 134–139.
  39. ^ Colby, Robert & McDonald, Lois (2005). Magalia to Stirling City. Arcadia. p. 66. ISBN 9780738530185.
  40. ^ "2020 U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  41. ^ "Where was Gone with the Wind filmed?". giggster.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  42. ^ "195 ACRE RANCH RICH WITH HISTORY.". Land.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  43. ^ "CN&R • Arts&Culture • Fine Arts • Magic Town • Jun 14, 2001". Chico News & Review. July 6, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  44. ^ "CN&R • Arts&Culture • Fine Arts • Magic Town • Jun 14, 2001". Chico News & Review. July 6, 2005. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  45. ^ M; October 16, i Bierly Updated; EDT, 2013 at 06:05 AM. "Sons of Anarchy recap: Son Summit". EW.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.